Gotta be happy for volleyball

I CAN distinctly remember riding with the late Jun Bernardino in his car after a press conference for a volleyball tournament during the days of the old V-league.

“What are a bunch of old basketball lifers doing in volleyball,” Bernardino said to me and his colleague Ricky Palou. “We know the future is volleyball.”

at was in 2008 when I was working with Solar Sports and we televised an invitational tournament of theirs. Furthermore, I did the first ever volleyball commercial in this country.

I knew that something was shifting when I saw a bus chartered by fans from Laguna to attend a practice by the Ateneo Lady Eagles. Let me clarify that—practice. Not a practice match, but your ordinary everyday practice. And, they even brought the players food.

at is why three years later, I argued that the company I worked for (Mindshare) and the client we serviced (Gatorade) get into the sport before it becomes expensive.

I ventured to Roxas City to follow the University Games in 2011 and I will not forget the barangay tanods going about Capiz with a bullhorn exhorting the townsfolk: “Napapanood niyo lang sila sa TV, ngayon, nandito na sila. Punta lang sa basketball gym.”

And that gym meant for basketball was packed with fans sitting on these dangerous scaffoldings. I returned to Manila, even more convinced that this was a seismic shift for the sport.

e powers that be in my old company listened one year too late. By that time, Ateneo faced powerhouse La Salle for the first time in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s volleyball finals.

Sixteen years later, the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is packing stadiums and arenas reminiscent of the good old days of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Ateneo-la Salle basketball games.*

While the game was fortunate to be given a massive shot in the arm by those Ateneo-la Salle finals, it has moved forward in different directions.

While not every collegiate league draws massive crowds—and the men’s game pales in comparison to the women’s matches—what is clear is how the sport is viewed differently in terms of participation, media attention, corporate sponsorship and fan engagement.

No disrespect to the women’s game which is so engrossing, the power volleyball of the international game isn’t there just yet. Hence, long rallies add so much excitement.

What I also like is teams are beginning to look like how professional teams are formed—mixed from different schools. While teams at first were offshoots of their collegiate counterparts. Now, they aren’t.

And it seems the Creamline Cool Smashers have been able to corner the market share on not only skillful but larger than life players.

You have to start with Alyssa Valdez who is the first athlete in this country to garner more than a million followers in her social media. Her power spikes drew that initial attention, then her well-rounded game.

Opposite hitter Michelle Gumabao is not only a champion with La Salle, but also a beauty queen.

Outside hitter Jema Galanza has to be one of the most popular players in this country. And it’s great that she finally realized that potential that was on display during her playing years at Adamson albeit on and off. Now, she’s a superstar.

While there are many more popular players on this squad such as Tots Carlos and Dennise Lazaro to name but a few, these three reflect the different backgrounds of players on the court.

eir rival, Choco Mucho Flying Titans, tugging at the cape of the Cool Smashers, features the same kind of talent, popularity, and interest in Katrina Tolentino, Deanna Wong, Maddie Madayag, Isa Molde and Sisi Rondina to name a few.

Fan engagement of the players, teams and action is incredible whether on Tiktok, Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, or whatnot. Fans need not come from the alumni of schools.

ey come from all walks of life and throughout the archipelago and that is priceless. And they are rabid fans. ey live and breathe the game and their respective teams.

As popular as the game is right now, it’s funny how people take shots at the PBA for having “power-bloc sister teams.” at, too, exists in the PVL. ere are at least four corporations with two teams in the league. And right now, one team is dominating.

Right now, that’s nothing. e game is exciting and compelling. And fans like me are entertained. Riveted even. And that makes a massive difference.